A wide variety of cooking methodologies and associated apparatus have been developed for the preparation of food items, including in particular methodologies and apparatus for cooking. In this regard, cooking approaches provide for the heating of food items by one or more of heat conduction and/or convection and/or radiation.
Of particular interest here are cooking techniques that utilize one or more surfaces to directly contact and support food items relative to one or more heat source(s). By way of example, common grilling surfaces may comprise one or a plurality of stationary grate surfaces.
When heated to elevated temperatures, such grill surfaces are capable of burning food items in the regions of direct contact. Further, food items may also burn at locations other than the direct contact regions when left too long in a given position relative to the heat source.
As may be appreciated, burned portions of food items may have a bitter and otherwise undesirable taste. Further, such burned regions may contain carcinogens produced by the burning process. Additionally, grill surfaces may become coated with carbonized bitter residue that may adversely flavor food items cooked at a later time.
Of further note, known grilling approaches may yield items that are cooked in an uneven manner. For example, a bottom portion of a food item located upon a grill surface may be overcooked and possibly burned while a top portion of a food item spaced from the grill surface may be undercooked and possibly somewhat raw, thus posing a bacterial concern.
Attempts to address the above-noted cooking considerations typically entail a high degree of preparation attention and/or energy inefficiencies. For example, to avoid burning food items and/or uneven cooking of food items vigilant observation and repeated handling of the food item(s) may be entailed. Such handling may include repeated contact between cooking accessories (e.g., spatulas, tongs, forks, etc.) and the food item which may adversely affect the final taste and/or appearance of the food item. Further, repeated handling may expose the preparer of the food item to high temperatures and gaseous and particulate emissions due to the proximity of the food item and preparer to the heat source.
To avoid overcooking and/or otherwise facilitate observation of the cooking process, many food preparers may leave a cooking enclosure in an open condition. By way of a primary example, when utilizing barbecues with covers, many food preparers may leave the covers off or in a hinged-open position to avoid overly high temperatures and/or to otherwise facilitate visual inspection. As may be appreciated, such an approach results in energy inefficiencies and may adversely impact the predictability and promptness of food preparation timing. Further, such an approach may yield cooked food items having an undesirable “baked” taste as opposed to a more palatable “grilled” flavor.